Folding brush



July 29, 1958 l. MARK f 2,844,836

FOLDING BRUSH Filed Nov. 7, 195e n 2 sheets-sheet 1) 11u/enter 1 Rvws MARK v @mmwrfm/mww w95..

July 29, 1958 l. MARK v 2,844,836

' FOLDING BRUSH Filed Nov. 7, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "4 Inventor IRvaNG MARK FOLDING BRUSH Irving Mark, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Lester R. Peilet, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 7, 1956, Serial No. 620,880

Claims. (Cl. 15203) This invention relates to folding hair brushes or other types of brushes.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved folding brush in which the bristles are swingable between erected and folded positions when a cover is moved longitudinally along the brush, and in which the bristles are locked in their erected position when the cover is moved to its open position.

A further object is to provide a new and improved folding brush in which the bristles are mounted on parallel shafts, each of which is provided with aspring to erect the bristles, and in which a locking member is movable under the shafts to block the bristles against folding movement when the cover is moved to its open position.

Another object is to provide a new and improved folding brush in which each of the bristle shafts is provided with a plurality of bristle socket members, each of which s adapted to support a plurality of tufts of bristles spaced transversely with respect to the axis of the shaft, the lbristles on each shaft being staggered with regard to the adjacent shaft so as to be movable through spaces dened between the bristle supports on the adjacent shaft.

It is a further object to provide a new and improved folding brush in which it is easy to erect an'd foldfthe bristles by sliding the cover betweenits open and closed positions, and in which the bristles are securely locked in their erected positions when the cover is moved to its open position. Y

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a planview of a folding brush which will be described, by way of example, as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the folding brush with the cover in its open position and with the bristles erected.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken 'generally along a line 33 of Fig. 2, the brush being shown with the bristles locked in their erected positions.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the manner in which the bristles are unlocked by initial closing movementA olf the cover. n I v Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the brush with the cover closed and the bristlesfolded. y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing the manner in which the bristles are folded as the cover is closed. n

Fig. 7V is a transverse sectional view taken generally along a line 7-7 of Fig. 3. f

Fig. 8V is a transverse sectional view taken generally along a line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

y Fig. 9y is a perspective View of a locking member employed in the brush to lock the bristles in their erected positions.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective'view of the under side of the cover, to show the elements which operate the locking member of Fig. 9.'

Fig. 11 is a plan view of one of the bristle shafts employed in the folding brush. v

As already indicated, the drawings illustrate a folding brush 14 constituting one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It will be seen that the brush 14 comprises a body 16 which is generally tray or box-shaped. Thus, the body has a bottom wall 18, end walls 20 and 22, and side walls 24 and 26, the top of the body being open. The body 16 may be molded out of plastic, or otherwise formed of any suitable material.

The body 16 supports a plurality of bristle shafts 28 which extend transversely across the body and generally parallel to each other. Each of the shafts 28 has pivots 30 and 32 at its opposite ends. The pivots 30 and 32 are journaled in suitable apertures 34 and 36 formed in the side Walls 24 and 26 of the body 16. The body may be flexed sufficiently to provide for insertion of the pivots 30 and 32 into the apertures 34 and 36.

To retain the bristle shafts 28 and to cover the outer ends of the apertures 34 and 36, a retainer 38 is mounted on the body 16. It will be seen that the retainer 38 has a pair of side members 40 which extend along the upper edges of the side walls 24 and 26. The side members 40 have depending flanges 42 which engage the outer surfaces of the side walls 24 and 26 and cover the apertures 34 and 36. In addition, the side members 40 have horizontal top flanges 44 which project inwardly over the upper edges of the side walls 24 and 26. At one end of the retainer 38, the side members 40 are connected to.- gether by a web -or top wall 46. A depending flange 48 extends from the top wall 46 and is engaged with the outer surface of the end wall 22. The retainer 38 may be cemented or otherwise secured in place on the body 16.

As shown to best advantage in Fig. ll, each of the bristle shafts 28 has a bar portion 50 which extends between the pivots 30 and 32 but is offset laterally therefrom. The ends of the bar portion 50` are engageable with the under sides of the inwardly projecting flanges 44 on lthe retainer 38, so as to limit rotation of the bristle shaft in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 3.

Each bristle shaft 28 is adapted to support a plurality of bristle tufts 52. ports eight bristle tufts 52 in the illustrated brush. The bristle tufts 52 are mounted in bristle socket members or supports 54 which project laterally from the bar portion 50. Slots or spaces 56 are `defined betweenthe ybristle socket members 54. In 'order that a large number of bristles may be mounted on each shaft 28, each socket member 54 is arranged to support a plurality of the bristle tufts 52. The tufts 52 on each support 54 are spaced transversely with regard to the shaft 28 or, in other words, longitudinally with respect to the body 16. In the illustrated brush, two of the bristle tufts 52 are mounted on each bristle support 54, in bristle sockets 58.

It will be seen that the shafts 28 carry the bristles 52 for swinging movement between erected andfolded positions. In the erected position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the bristles 52 extend upwardly, at right angles to the body 16. In the folded positions, as shown in Fig. 6, the bristles are received within the body 16 and extend gen-` erally in a longitudinal .direction with respect to the body.

Each bristle shaft 28 is provided with an individuall spring 60 which is connected between the shaft and the' body 16 so as to bias the shaft and the bristles 52 Patented July 29, sy

More specillcally, each shaft 28 sup-` toward their erected position. As shown, each spring 60 has a portion 62 which is coiled around the pivot 32. To accommodate the coil portion 62, the pivot 32 is made somewhat longer than the pivot 30.` An arm 64 extends downwardly from one end of` the coil 62, into engagement with the body 16. It will be seen that an upwardly projecting flange 66 is formed 0n the bottom wall 18 of the body 16, adjacent the side wall 26, to retain the arms 64 of the springs 60 against lateral movement. The other end of the coil 62 on each spring 60 is formed into au arm 68 which extends along a groove '70 formed in the under side of the corresponding bar portion 50. A prong 72 on the outer end of the arm 68 projects upwardly through a suitable aperture 74 in the bar portion 50, to retain the arm 68 in the groove 7 0.

As already indicated, the springs 60 bias the bristle shafts 28 toward their erected positions. The erecting movement of the bristle shafts 28, under the impetus of the springs 60, is limited by the engagement of the bar portions 50 with the stop anges 44 on the retainer 38.

The brush 14 is adapted to be folded and erected-by a cover 78 which is slidable longitudinally along the body 16 between the open position of Fig. 3 and the closed position of Fig. 5. In Fig. 1, the open position is shown in broken lines, while the closed position is shown in full lines. In the open position, the cover 78 provides a handle for the brush 14.

It will be seen that the illustrated cover 78 has a top wall 80 'which is movable over the top of the body 16 and is adapted to engage the bristle supports 54 on the successive shafts 28. The top wall 80 has a leading edge 82 which slants downwardly and rearwardly so as to slide easily over the bristle supports 54. As the cover 78 is moved into its closed position, the leading edge 82 pushes the bristle shafts 28 into their folded positions, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6.

The cover 78 is slidably mounted on the brush 14 by means of side walls 84 which extend downwardly from the top wall 80 and are formed with inwardly projecting flanges 86. It will be seen that the flanges 86 are retained under the flanges 42 on the retainer 38. Vertical ridges 88 are formed on the outer surfaces of the side walls 84 so that the cover 78 may be gripped firmly for opening and closing movement. An enlarged portion 90 is formed at one end of the body 16 to provide a finger grip thereon and to limit closing movement of the cover 78.

As the cover 78 is moved between its closed and open positions, the bristle shafts 28 are swung upwardly into their erected positions by the springs 60, as the shafts are successively released by the cover 78. The final portion of the opening movement of the cover '78 is effec tive to lock the bristles 52 in their erected positions. This is brought about by a locking member 94 having upwardly projecting lugs or tabs 50 of the bristle shafts 28. The lugs 96 block the bar portions 50 against downward movemeut and thus prevent rotation of the bristle shafts 28 from their erected positions. It will be seen that the locking member 94 is formed with spaces or slots 98 between the lugs 96. The bristles 52 are unlocked by moving the locking member 94 so that the spaces 98 are under the bar portions 50 of the bristle shafts 28.

Thus, the locking member 94 is movable longitudinally in the body 16 between locking and unlocking positions, shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In this case, the locking member 94 takes the form of a bar orstrip made of thin sheet metal. The member 94 is slidable in a groove or slot 100 defined between closely spaced, upwardly projecting fianges 102 on the bottom wall 18.

The locking member 94 is arranged to be operated by the cover 78. Thus, the locking member 94 has an operating portion 104 which projects upwardly under the top wall 30 of the cover 78. The operating portion 104 projects through a suitable guide slot or aperture 106 formed in the web 46 on the retainer 38. Interengageable elements are provided on the operating portion 104 l and the cover 78 so that the-member 94 will be locked and unlocked when the cover is opened and closed. In this case, the operating member 104 has a horizontal upper ange portion 108 which is formed with locking and unlocking fingers 110 and 112. It will be seen that the lingers 110 and 112 are offset laterally with respect to each other and arranged to slant upwardly at a slight angle. The fingers 111) and 112 extend in opposite longitudinal directions. Thus, the finger 110 extends toward the bristles 52, while the linger 112 extends away from the bristles.

In this case, the operating elements on the covcr 78 take the form of laterally offset recesses 114- and 116 in the underside of the top wall adjacent the leading edge 82. The recess 114 defines a shoulder 118 which is engageable with the locking finger 11G near the end of the opening movement of the cover 78. As the opening movement of the cover is completed, the` shoulder 118 carries the finger and the locking member 94 to the right, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to move the member 94 to its locking position.

The recess 116 defines ashoulder 120 which is engage` able with the finger 112 near the beginning of the closing movement of the cover, before the leading edge 82 engages the first bristle sha ft`28. The shoulder carries the finger 112 to the left so as to move the member 94 to its unlocked position. Then, the shoulder 120 slides over the finger 112 so that the cover 78 can move to its closed position.

Thus, the brush 14 is opened or erected by sliding the cover 78 to the right, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The springs 60 erect the bristle shafts 28 and the bristles 52 as soon as each bristle shaft in turn is released by the cover 78. After all of the bristle shafts 28 have been erected, the shoulder 118 on the cover 78 engages the finger 110 and shifts the locking member 94 to its locking position, in which the lugs 96 prevent counterclockwise rotation of the bristle shafts 28.

When the brush 14 is to be folded or collapsed, the cover 78 is slid to the left. The initial closing movement of the cover moves the shoulder 120 against the finger 112 so as to carry the member 94 to its unlocked position, as shown in Fig. 4. Then, the leading edge 82 of the cover 78 pushes each of the bristle shafts 28 in turn to its folded position, in the manner shown in Fig. 6.

It will be recognized that the brush provides a large number of bristles and hence is highly effective as a hair brush or for any other suitable use. securely locked in their erected positions. It is easy to collapse the brush. When the brush is collapsed, the bristles are entirely concealed and the brush is rendered so compact that it may be 'carried very conveniently in a pocket, hand bag, or the like.

The mode of operation of the brush is immediately self-evident to the user. As soon as he starts to slide the cover to its open position, the bristles begin to move into their erected position. The locking of the bristles is automatically accomplished when the cover is fully opened.

Various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding brush, the combination comprising an elongated generally tray-shaped body, a cover slidable along the top of said body in a longitudinal direction between open and closed positions and having a top wall for closing the top of said body, a plurality of bristle shaftsV extending generally parallel to each other and transversely across said body, each of said shafts having pivots on its opposite ends journaled in said body, each offsaid shafts having a bar portion extending between said pivots and offset laterally therefrom, each of said shafts The bristles are having a plurality of bristle socket members projecting laterally from said bar portionand defining slotsbetween, said socket members, each of said socket members having a plurality of bristle sockets therein spaced trans-j. versely to the length ofthe bristleshaft, said bristle sockets having tufts of bristle mounted therein and swingable with said shafts between an erected position with said bristles extending upwardly from said bodyand la folded position with said bristles` received within said body` and extending generally longitudinally thereof, each,of. saidv shafts `having its socket members Y,and bristles staggered with respect to the adjacent shaft so as to be aligned withY and movable through said slots on said adjacent shaft when said bristles are swung into their folded positions, said top wall of said cover having a leading edge movable successively against said socket members of said shafts to fold said bristles when said cover is moved into its closed position, each of said shafts having a'spring connected between said shaft and said! body tobias said shaft toward a position with said bristles erected, said body having stop means thereon engageable by said bar portions of said shafts for preventing movement of said yshafts by said springs beyond the erected position, said springs being operative to swing said bristles into erected positions when said cover is moved to its open position, and an elongated locking member slidable longitudinally in said body under said bristle shafts and having a plurality of upwardly projecting tabs thereon movable under said bar portions of said shafts to prevent downward movement of said bar portions and lock said shafts in the erected positions, said locking member having slots between said tabs and being movable to bring said slots under said bar portions so as to unlock said shafts, said locking member having 'a portion projecting upwardly under said cover and formed with spring fingers slanting upwardly and extending in opposite longitudinal directions, said fingers being offset laterally from each other, sai-d top wall of said cover having a pair of laterally offset recesses adjacent said leading edge of said top wall and engageable with said ngers for sliding said locking member into its locking position near the end of the opening movement of said cover while sliding said locking member into its locking position near the beginning of the closing movement of said cover.

2. In a folding brush, the combination comprising a generally box-shaped body, a plurality of bristle shafts having pivots rotatably received in said body, said shafts extending transversely across said body, each of said shafts having a plurality of bristle supports thereon with a plurality of tufts of bristles mounted in each support and spaced longitudinally of said body, each of said shafts having spaces between said bristle supports, said bristles and said shafts being swingable between an erected position with said bristles extending upwardly from the top of said body and a folded position with said bristles received within said body and extending generally longitudinally thereof, each of said shafts having its bristles and bristle supports staggered with regard to the adjacent shaft for movement through the spaces between the bristle supports on said adjacent shaft, each of said shafts having a portion offset laterally with respect to said pivots, each of said shafts having an individual spring connected between said shaft and said body and biasing said shaft into its erected position, stop means on said body engageable by said offset portion of each shaft to limit erecting movement of said shafts, a cover slidable longitudinally along said body between open and closed positions and having a top wall with a leading edge portion engageable with said bristle supports on said successive shafts for swinging said bristles and shafts into their folded positions during movement of said cover into its closed position, said springs being operative to swing said bristles and shafts into their erected positions during opening movement of said cover, a locking member slidable longitudinally in said body between ,lockingl and unlocking positions Vand,` having a plurality of upwardly, projecting lugs movable under said` offset portions of said shafts to lock said shafts in their erected positions with said locking member in said locking position, said locking member having spaces between said lugs and movable under saidotset portions to unlock said shafts with said locking member in said unlocking position,` an operating portion on said locking member extending upwardly under said cover and having laterally offset locking and unlocking ngers thereon slanting upwardly andprojecting in opposite longitudinal directions, and locking and unlocking recesses in the under-side of said top wall of said cover adjacent said leading edge for operating said fingers, said locking lrecess being engageable withsaid locking linger near the endof the opening movement ofy said cover for sliding said locking member to said-'locking position, said unlocking recess being engageable with said unlocking finger near` the beginning of the closing movementA of said cover for moving said locking member to its unlocking position.

3. In Va folding brush, the combination comprising a body, a plurality of bristle shafts rotatably received in said body, each of said shafts having a plurality of bristles mounted thereon, said bristles and said shafts being swingable between an erected position with said bristles extending outwardly from said body and a folded position with said bristles received within said body, each of said shafts having an individual spring connected between said shaft and said body and biasing said shaft into its erected position, a cover slidable along said 'body between open and closed positions and having a portion engageable with said successive shafts for swinging said bristles and shafts into their folded positions during movement of said cover into its closed position, said springs being operative to swing said bristles and shafts into their erected positions during opening movement of said cover, a locking member movable in said body between locking and unlocking positions and having means for locking said shafts in their erected positions with said locking member in said locking position, and means operable by said cover for moving said locking member to said locking position near the end of the opening movement of said cover while moving said locking member to its unlocking position near the beginning of the closing movement of said cover.

4. In a folding brush, the combination comprising a body, a plurality of bristle shafts rotatably received in said body, each of said shafts having al plurality of ybristles mounted thereon, said lbristles and said shafts being swingable between an erected position with said bristles extending outwardly from said body and a folded position with said bristles received within said body, each of said shafts having an individual spring connected 'between said shaft and said body and biasing said shaft into its erected position, a cover slidable along said body between open and closed positions and having a portion engageable with said successive shafts for swinging said bristles and shafts into their folded positions during movement of said cover into its closed position, said springs being operative to swing said bristles and shafts into their erected positions during opening movement of said cover, a locking member movable in said body between locking and unlocking positions and having a plurality of lugs movable into locking relation to said shafts to lock said shafts in their erected positions with said locking member in said locking position, an operating portion on said locking member and extending toward said cover, and means on said cover for engaging said operating portion and moving said locking member to said locking position near the end of the opening movement of said cover while moving said locking member to its unlocking position near the beginning of the closing movement of said cover.

5. In a folding brush, the combination comprising a body, a plurality of bristle shafts rotatably received in said body, each of said shafts having a plurality of bristles mounted thereon, said'bristles andsaid shafts being swingable between an erected yposition with said bristles extending outwardly from said body and a folded position with said bristles received within `said body, each of said shafts having an individual spring'connected between said shaft and said body and rbiasing said shaft into its erected position, a cover slidable along said body between open and closed positions and having a portion engageable with said successive shafts `for swinging said bristles and shafts into their folded positions during movement of said cover into its closed position, said springs being operative to 'i swing said bristles and shafts into their erected positions during opening movement of said cover, a locking member movable in said body :between locking and unlocking positions and having a plurality of projections Vmovable into locking relation to said shafts to retain said shafts in their erected positions with said locking member in said locking position, said locking member having spaces between said lugs and movable into locking relation to said shafts with said locking member in said unlocking position, an operating portion on said locking member and extending toward said cover, said operating portion having locking and unlocking finger means thereon, and means on said cover defining locking and unlocking shoulder elements for operating said locking and unlocking finger means, said locking shoulder element being engageable with said locking nger means near the end of the opening movement of said cover for moving said locking member to said locking position, said unlocking shoulder element being engageable with said unlocking nger means near the beginning of the closing movement of said cover for moving said locking member to said unlocking position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

